Words From The Fire #9: Telling The Truth Sunday, April 10 th, 2011

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1 Words From The Fire #9: Telling The Truth Sunday, April 10 th, 2011 Intro: Welcome to our service this morning! Welcome guests introduce myself. We re honored that you are here today. Pads thanks for signing in today and letting us know that you are here. Open the bulletin & walk people through contents study-guide is updated for this series! Today what an awesome testimony from Dena! What is your part in sharing Jesus w/ others? Easter weekend in two weeks Good Friday services & Easter Sunday (new series Finally Free) So important that we all connect in community First Connect Lunch today you re invited! Opening Image: Meet the Parents clip to open Funny clip because the truth is so painful sometimes (many relationships built on lies). The American Idol Effect seeing so many who ve never been told the truth You wonder how that s possible until you coach little league sports Most parents are tempted to always say something positive The Political Campaign Effect seeing so many negative attack ads Website and news organizations set up Truth Detector groups to check ads Most politicians are tempted to always say something negative The challenge to not just say something positive or negative, but something true. Need: How desperately we need the truth in our generation! We need to hear it and we need to speak it because we stuffing ourselves with lies. We can abuse the truth (lie) in at least four ways: We avoid the truth leave important details out of the story. We expand the truth add more than really happened. We distort the truth twist the order or deny the truth or create new facts. We wound with the truth we share true content with a malicious heart (lying). The courts ask us to promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Subject: We have some hard questions to answer this morning about the 9 th commandment: Why do we lie to ourselves, to each other and to God? How do we stop lying and starting telling the truth? Is there even such a thing as truth to tell? Is there a right way and wrong way to share the truth with others? What does God want to teach us and how does He want to change us today? Scripture: Let s Read Exodus 20:16 Preview: This morning, let s do the following: 1- Let s first look at the historical meaning of the 9 th commandment in its original context 2- Let s learn what it teaches us about God and our relationship to Him 3- Let s see how it works itself out in our lives today in practical ways 4- Let s look at how Jesus relates to it

2 Historical: What does this commandment mean? The original context of this commandment was the court of law. False testimony = charging someone with something that they did not do Against your neighbor = shows the communal aspect of this commandment Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself part of which is to not make up stuff about them We have a responsibility to our neighbor to tell the truth. The rest of the Bible expands to show other ways we lie: 1- We lie to our neighbor (Zechariah 8:16-17). 2- We lie about our neighbor to others (Proverbs 14:5) This includes gossip = talking about another in a way that damages their reputation with others. 3- We lie to God about what we ve done (Acts 5:1-5). 4- We lie about God to others (Job 13:4-8). 5- We lie to ourselves (Jeremiah 17:5). The summary of the OT: lying kills (both literally in the courts and figuratively in the heart) so don t do it Theological: Now that we know what the 9 th commandment means, what does it have to do with God? 1. God is truth. The 9 th commandment flows from the character of God. The Father is truth read Numbers 23:19 (God cannot tell a lie). The Son is truth read John 1:17 (Jesus shows us the truth). The Spirit is truth read John 16:13 (Spirit illuminates truth) In contrast, Satan is the father of lies read John 8:44 (he distorts and hides the truth). 2. God s Word is true. Because God is truth, what He says is true, making the Bible true. In John 17:17, Jesus says that the Word is truth. Excursus on Truth Now I know that many of you struggle with these categories true and false. So many disagree, so there can t be just one truth. So many interpretations, so that can t even be just one meaning of a passage. The post-modern experiment deconstructs truth as socially constructed propositions. But the statement that there is no truth is a truth claim itself and self-defeating. The struggle to understand truth is not a denial of its existence. The existence of presuppositions does not eliminate the reality of ultimate truth. We live in the light of truth every day from airplanes to surgery to banking If you expect others to treat you honestly with integrity, you know the reality of truth. If you have ever experienced the pain of a lie, you know the reality of truth. Personal: How should we live this out the 9 th commandment today? Let s read Ephesians 4:14-16 to see how it works itself out in the community of Jesus:

3 1- We need to receive the truth from God. Don t make God up as you go along receive His revelation in the Scripture. Receive the truth about yourself from Scripture and Christian community. In small-groups, we share life together by getting to know each other deeply. Who knows you? Who do you trust and allow to speak truth into your life? 2- We need to speak the truth in love. Rather than use the truth to wound, we should use it build others up. What are your motives with the truth? If wrong, don t share it. Ryken Quote As true witnesses to Christ, one of the most powerful truths we speak is the gospel! Think of all your spheres of relationships and how you can grow in speaking the truth in love. In court, in community, in church, in personal communication, in my family. So, we know we should not lie and should share the truth in love. But we don t. Prophetic: Why do we lie so much and so often? The Ten Commandments point us to the sin beneath our sin, the 1 st Commandment violation below the 9 th Commandment violation. (the lower-g god that we worship that approves of lying). 1- Some of us lie for the approval and esteem of others (other people are my god). 2- Some of us lie so as to not be inconvenienced (I am my god). 3- Some of us lie just to avoid conflict with others (peace is my god). Search your own heart this morning why do you lie? We are unable to deal honestly with our own sin without being crushed. We are unable to deal honestly with other people without being harsh. We are unable to deal honestly with God without being afraid. Only the gospel of Jesus holds in tension the two truths that will free me from the idols that drive lying: 1- I am more sinful that I could ever understand Jesus had to die for me. 2- I am more loved that I could ever image Jesus chose to die for me. We need some way to speak truthfully to others in love knowing that they are sinners, yet loved just as I am sinner, yet loved. Jesus endured the false witnesses around him, the lies of the crowd, to bear the punishment for our lies. Call to Respond Closing Moments: 1- Time of prayer and reflection. What is God saying to you? 2- Time of worship and response. What an awesome Savior we serve.

4 Scriptures: Exodus 20:16 16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. Zechariah 8: These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, declares the LORD. Proverbs 14:5 5 A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies. Acts 5:1-4 1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles feet. 3 Then Peter said, Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God. Job 13:7-8 7 Will you speak wickedly on God s behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? 8 Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God? Jeremiah 17:9 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Numbers 23:19 19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? John 1:17 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 16:13 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.

5 John 8:44 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 17:17 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. Ephesians 4: Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Quotes: Philip Ryken Understand that keeping the ninth commandment does not mean saying whatever comes to mind. There are many situations in life when it is better to say nothing at all.